U.S. Army Major Founds Running Club in Tikrit, Iraq

Major Russell Stewart feared he would lose motivation and speed without running buddies, so he started a running club on his Army base in Iraq.

By

Jen Murphy

Updated July 17, 2008 12:01 a.m. ET

The Army Major

When Russell Stewart learned he would be deployed to Iraq in September 2007, one of the U.S. Army major's concerns -- aside from being away from his wife and two young children -- was that he wouldn't have running partners.

Maj. Stewart ran cross-country and track competitively at Bellarmine University, a Division II school in Louisville, Ky. After college, he continued to run recreationally, racing distances ranging from 5Ks to ultramarathons. "I got hooked on it," he says. "Not just running but having people pushing me and being part of a community."

Maj. Stewart feared he would lose motivation, not to mention some of his speed, while he was overseas. So he sought out other like-minded runners and tried to develop a running community that mimicked the Greenville Track Club he belonged to back home in Greenville, S.C.

The Tikrit Running Club now consists of about 15 men and women of all ability levels. The club meets three days a week for speed workouts and long runs. Maj. Stewart mixes up workouts to keep the group challenged, and to prevent what could be a monotonous running routine.

When you work in a confined area and "see the same people every day, your life can feel like Groundhog Day," he says. "You would be amazed how creative avid runners can be while deployed."

Maj. Stewart has even started organizing races that shadow ones held back in the states, complete with T-shirts and race numbers. He is hoping his running club can shadow the Army Ten-Miler held in Washington, D.C., on October 5.

Maj. Stewart has been in the Army for 12 years. He is currently one of the primary military police planners for Iraqi Police Development, helping to improve the hiring and training of Iraqi police.

Maj. Stewart stands 5'6'' and weighs 130 pounds. His wife lives in Greenville with their 2-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son.

The Workout

Three days a week Maj. Stewart leads group runs at Contingency Operating Base Speicher in Tikrit, just north of Baghdad. The base is 16-square-miles and has several miles of road and track. No running is allowed off-base because of safety concerns.

Readers, what are some of the most formidable conditions you've worked out in? Has exericise or being part of a team ever helped you get through a tough period -- a stressful time at work or being away from family? Join a discussion with Jen Murphy.

Maj. Stewart says that depending on the time of year, temperatures can reach 117 degrees as early as 8:00 a.m. So workouts are held between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m., when temperatures are at a more tolerable 80 to 100 degrees.

Speed workouts are held Tuesdays at the track complex next to the base's main gym and usually last 45 minutes. Maj. Stewart develops different interval workouts that change weekly. One week the group may run two 400 meter sprints with a one minute rest in between, followed by two 800 meter sprints with a two minute rest in between and finish with a 1,600 meter run.

On Thursdays, Maj. Stewart leads a 45 to 60 minute long "tempo run," a set distance at a set pace. This might include a warm-up mile run in 8 minutes and 15 seconds, followed by four miles at a 6:15 to 6:30 minute-per-mile pace and an easy mile cool-down.

On Saturdays the group goes for a long run ranging between eight and 12 miles. There is an 11-mile inter-road loop which they sometimes run. At Maj. Stewart's first post in Baghdad, the base had a big hill, but the base in Tikrit is relatively flat. To get in a hill workout, he occasionally uses the treadmill in the gym, increasing the grade, as he runs.

Maj. Stewart also usually runs an "easy" four-miles on his own on Monday and Friday mornings.

Maj. Stewart is currently logging around 30 miles per week. He used to run 55-60 miles per week, but found that he was continually getting injured. Over the course of 20 years of running he has had four stress fractures and a bad hamstring pull. To prevent injuries he's cut his mileage back and is focusing on quality rather than quantity. "I run less but I run harder and faster when I do run," he says. Back home he would go to a sports massage therapist once a month for a "tune up."

Maj. Stewart ran his last marathon in 2004 and his last ultramarathon in 2006. He is planning to run a few half-marathons next year when he is back in the U.S.

Maj. Stewart is not required to participate in daily group exercise trainings. He is only required to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test twice a year. The test consists of sit-ups, push-ups and a two-mile run, and is scored based on age and gender. He says he never has a problem passing and he does ab work and push-ups in addition to running. The one area he says he needs to improve on is flexibility. "I've never been able to touch my toes," he says. A few colleagues on base do yoga, but Maj. Stewart fears he'd pull a muscle if he tried it.

The Diet

ENLARGE

Maj. Stewart is in the middle with yellow belt.
Alisha Nye

The base has three dining halls that Maj. Stewart compares to college cafeterias. "You can get whatever you want," he says. "Healthy stuff like baked chicken and rice or not-so-healthy stuff like fried chicken and tater tots. It's up to you to make smart choices."

Maj. Stewart for the most part selects healthier options like fruit and whole grain cereal instead of a donut for breakfast. He tries to watch his portions and rewards himself after his long run on Saturday by allowing himself a regular rather than diet soda or an ice cream bar.

The Cost

Maj. Stewart is somewhat fanatical about his running sneakers. "The key to preventing injuries is rotating shoes," he explains. He rotates three pairs: a heavier, trainer-style sneaker for long runs; a midweight sneaker for daily use and shorter runs; and a light racing shoe for speed work and races. He only puts 300 miles on each pair before tossing them.

Maj. Stewart says sneaker styles and sizes are limited in Iraq so his wife sends him new ones. He estimates that he spends about $300 a year on sneakers, usually buying during sales.

The Effort

Maj. Stewart says having a commitment to a group helps everyone wake up for a 5 a.m. workout. "We all work in the same building so if you don't wake up you know you're going to see those people and get looks from them all day," he says.

Back home he has to balance family, work and running. His wife, the only woman he ever dated who wasn't on his cross-country team, isn't a runner. "But she understands how important it is to me," he says. "Occasionally we make it a family affair and we'll run a 5K together."

The Benefit

"Being deployed is like a marathon," says Maj. Stewart. "Every day we keep plugging a way and every once a while you see the results of your labor."

Running has helped Maj. Stewart deal with being away from home. "I feel cut off from my family. I will have missed two anniversaries, two of my kids' birthdays. My son will complete kindergarten and first grade without me. My daughter will be 3-years-old and I will have only been with her for one year."

"I'd be on anti-depressants if I wasn't running," says Maj. Stewart. "It keeps me sane and when I'm away from home it provides some semblance of normalcy for me. "

Readers, what are some of the most formidable conditions you've worked out in? Has exericise or being part of a team ever helped you get through a tough period -- a stressful time at work or being away from family?Join a discussion with Jen Murphy.

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.